While the opioid epidemic is getting worse a new study discovered that more and more adults in the US are taking psychiatric drugs. These types of drugs are used to treat conditions like anxiety, insomnia, and depression. More and more American adults suffer from depression and anxiety, thus contributing to the increased use of prescription phychiatric drugs.
A new study found that almost 17% of American adults take psychiatric drugs to treat one of these conditions. This is concerning because it shows that people are more stressed and they are developing mental conditions. This could lead to worse conditions like dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Another problem with the fact that 1 in 6 adults are taking psychiatric drugs is the side effects. Every drug has side effects but these drugs tend to have more than usual pills. First of all, people can get addicted to these drugs and the side effects caused by psychiatric drugs can be long-term ones.
Experts mentioned that people can be affected even after giving up these drugs because they have withdrawal effects. Once a person gives up on psychiatric drugs, the individual in question might feel even worse than before taking these drugs.
The study also showed that women are more likely to take this type of drugs. 1 in 5 women mentioned that they are taking psychiatric drugs. When it comes to men, they tend to think twice before taking drugs.
White men and women were more likely to take these drugs than Hispanics and Afro-Americans. The researcher also discovered that older people tend to take more pills. This survey was made in 2013 and it continued in 2014 to see if people quit their prescription drugs or continue to take them. A lot of people continued the treatment and even added other drugs.
This study should be a wake-up call for doctors because they need to be more careful when they prescribe this type of drugs. It is important to know exactly what your patients need and want. Doctors who prescribed psychiatric drugs like Xanax and Zoloft need to check on their patients regularly. Side effects should be monitored carefully.
Image source: Wikipedia
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